Vehicle break-ins increase in Henderson County

Staff

Monday

Apr 30, 2018 at 11:54 AMApr 30, 2018 at 12:04 PM

The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office has seen an increase in motor vehicle breaking and enterings.

These "smash-and-grab" incidents typically occur when purses, bags and other items of value are left in plain sight inside unattended vehicles; thieves smash in windows, grab the visible items and flee the area.

The most recent incidents have occurred in Henderson County parks and vehicles left unattended in parking lots.

The Sheriff’s Office recommends individuals keep items out of view and lock their car doors. Tools and equipment should not be left unattended in truck beds. Cars should never be left running or keys left inside an unattended vehicle.

Steps to prevent thefts

--Keep the interior of your car free of valuables. Don’t assist criminals by leaving bags, purses, wallets, briefcases, laptops, cell phones, loose change or anything that may be of value to a thief in plain view.

Offenders have broken into vehicles for items such as gym bags because they assumed there were electronic devices and other items stored in them.

--Hide chargers and accessories that indicate a GPS, mobile phone or other device may be stashed in your vehicle.

--Remove garage door openers, key cards and house or work keys from the car so that a prowler cannot gain access to your home.

--If you must leave valuables in your car, put them in the trunk before you arrive at your destination.

--Before leaving your car, always remove the keys, roll up the windows, lock the doors and set the alarm (if you have one).

--If possible, store your car in a closed and locked garage. If your car is parked in a carport or near your house, leave your exterior lights on throughout the night.

--Consider replacing the light fixture closest to your car with a motion detector unit. Motion detectors are good psychological deterrents, causing the thief to think that someone has seen them when the light comes on. The light also makes the prowler or thief more visible.

--Consider installing a security system with video surveillance capabilities at your home.

--Improve visibility where your car is parked. If you park on the street, choose a well-lighted, open space even if it means adding additional exterior lighting. Trim back trees or bushes that block the view of your vehicle from your home. Avoid parking near anything that limits visibility like dumpsters, large vans or trucks, or wooded areas.

--Use a mechanical locking device such as a club that locks to the steering wheel, column or brake.

--Keep your keys with you instead of putting them in a hiding place.

--Don’t leave your vehicle in unattended parking lots for long periods of time.

--Be observant when you exit or enter your parked vehicle, stop and take a look around the area.

--Report any suspicious activity to the Sheriff’s Office or local law enforcement.

If you are the victim of a break-in

If your car is broken into, report the crime to the Sheriff’s Office or local law enforcement.

If it is a crime in progress, call 9-1-1. Take note of any details of the suspect(s), vehicles and activities, and share your observations with the telecommunicator.

If the crime already occurred, contact the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency number at 828-697-4911.

Encourage your neighbors to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity, and to keep their car’s interior free of valuables and other items. If a neighborhood consistently keeps their vehicles free of valuables, thieves will typically move on to other, more lucrative areas.

A good way for neighbors to stay connected, remain vigilant and share information is through the creation of a Community Watch group. Get to know your neighbors and look out for each other.

Anyone who witnesses suspicious activity in their neighborhood should contact the Sheriff’s Office. Taking cell phone pictures of suspicious vehicles and their tag numbers can be very helpful to investigators in identifying suspects.

Car break-ins can lead to other crimes such as identity theft, burglary and motor vehicle theft depending on what items are accessible inside the car; it is important to take steps to prevent the initial crime from occurring.

If you are the victim of a crime, it needs to be reported. Law enforcement can only respond and work to prevent crime if they know about it.

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